That’s according to former Tottenham midfielder turned pundit Jermaine Jenas who can see the Brazilian’s porposed move from Liverpool getting even messier.

Coutinho has handed in a transfer request following the Kop owners FSG’s claim he would not be sold at any price.

Barca have had two offers rejected for Coutinho and he’s started to take matters into his own hands.

And Jenas can see a situation where the forward feigns injury or just goes on striker to try and force Liverpool into selling him.

Liverpool should still sell nine players this summer - including Barcelona target Coutinho

LIVERPOOL started last season brightly but ended up scraping Champions League football in May. The Reds still need to freshen up their squad to make sure they're on course for glory this term.

1 / 10

LIVERPOOL FC

Jurgen Klopp could do with rejiging his squad

“He will probably either fake injury or just say, look, I’m not available ”

Jermaine Jenas

He told 5Live: “It is going to get messy because the player wants to leave and inevitably what will probably happen [is that] he will probably either fake injury or just say, ‘Look, I’m not available for this club right now so you need to take this money’.

“The club have given him almost nowhere to move.

“If this was done in a situation where people [at Liverpool] would say [to him] 'Remain professional', and [then] obviously he’d continually train, be playing his football and be out there playing in a Liverpool shirt and what will be will be.

“The problem is with Barcelona, are they ever going to come back?

“If they go out there and find somebody else that chance has gone.

“He’ll be looking at this from a player's perspective going, ‘This is my opportunity, I’ve given everything I can for Liverpool Football Club, this is my one chance to get to Barcelona and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get there.’

“There’s so many risk elements, as well, from a player’s perspective as well.

“You’ve got to get through a whole season unscathed - no big injuries.